A guided walk exploring Living Water in action, with ecologist Katriina Bent

Meeting point: The Burrows car park (the gravel car park furthest towards the dunes)

Duration: Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes

Free event – Suitable for most abilities

As part of the Season of Creation, the St Joseph’s, St Benildus’ & St. Mary’s Parish Eco Group invites you to join a guided walk exploring “Living Water” (Ezekiel 47:9, 12) through the lens of local conservation – from the migrating waterbirds of Tramore Back Strand to the dune restoration work of the Tramore Eco Group (TEG).

We’ll begin at the Tramore Back Strand Special Protection Area (SPA), one of Ireland’s designated “Blue Dot” waters – surface waters identified under the EU Water Framework Directive as being in high ecological status, requiring special protection from decline. Here we’ll observe the first arriving migratory waterbirds and discuss how to protect the Eelgrass (Zostera) beds they depend on to recover from their long journeys, as well as the quiet threat posed by invasive species.

From there, we’ll move on to the Tramore Sand Dunes Special Area of Conservation (SAC) – one of Ireland’s highest dune systems, rich in rare species and human history, and increasingly under pressure from climate change and human activity. We’ll see first-hand the work Tramore Eco Group volunteers are doing to restore the dunes, including planting Marram grass (the “dune-builder”) and erecting chestnut fencing to help the dunes rebuild naturally.

There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion along the way.

All welcome! Bring: Water, walking shoes or runners, weather-appropriate clothing, and binoculars if you have them
Afterwards: Optional refreshments at one of the coffee shops on Tramore Prom